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Enabling Auto Spelling Correction in Snow Leopard

In Snow Leopard, the automatic spelling correction in applications is not usually activated by default. To turn it on, make sure the cursor's insertion point is somewhere where text can be entered, and either choose Edit > Spelling and Grammar > Correct Spelling Automatically or, if the Edit menu's submenu doesn't have what you need, Control-click where you're typing and choose Spelling and Grammar > Correct Spelling Automatically from the contextual menu that appears. The latter approach is particularly likely to be necessary in Safari and other WebKit-based applications, like Mailplane.

The iPad mini has arrived, and Jeff Carlson immediately focused on using it in his photography — not as a camera, but for reviewing, editing, and sharing shots while in the field. In the news, Apple has now publicized the use of icloud.com email addresses for all iCloud users, and the revitalized Retrospect 10 improves backup performance and multi-platform support. Also, Kevin van Haaren contributes an article about how his family used the Glassboard app and service to create a private social network to stay in touch during a family medical crisis. We were busy with other efforts last week too, so be sure to check out our latest ebooks — “Take Control of Mail on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, Fourth Edition” and “Take Control of Networking & Security in iOS 6” — and don’t miss our staff roundtable discussing election coverage technology and whether Apple will be switching away from Intel chips in future Macs. Lastly, we’re taking next week’s issue off due to the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States — look for our next email issue on 26 November 2012! Notable software releases this week include MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Update 2.0, GraphicConverter 8.3.1, VMware Fusion and Fusion Professional 5.0.2, and LaunchBar 5.4.

Mountain Lion’s Messages app gets attention this week as we announce the release of Glenn Fleishman’s new “Take Control of Messages in Mountain Lion” ebook and our next live TidBITS Presents event on 14 November 2012, when Glenn will explain the top three confusions people have been having with Messages. Also this week, don’t miss our coverage of iOS 6.0.1, the 50-percent DealBITS discount on BeLight Software’s Art Text, and Adam Engst’s look at the recent Apple management shakeup. Plus, Glenn shares his experience of being on the Jeopardy TV show and throws cold water on Apple’s claim of “doubled” Wi-Fi throughput in the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad. Lastly, we’ve finally found room in an issue for Steve McCabe’s lengthy iPhone 5 review, if you’re still pondering a purchase. Notable software releases this week include Parallels Desktop 8.0.18314, Screenflow 4.0.1, Sandvox 2.7, Safari 6.0.2, iPhoto 9.4.2, Aperture 3.4.2, and PDFpen and PDFpenPro 5.9.

Clear the decks, because we have a double-sized issue for you this week, thanks to Apple’s announcements and other happenings in the Mac world. The big news is of course the release of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad, plus the new iMac, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, and the speed-bumped Mac mini. Apple also released iBooks 3.0 and iBooks Author 2.0, plus held its regularly scheduled earnings call to report $8.2 billion in profit for Q4 2012. We have all the details of those announcements, plus a DealBITS drawing for Art Text. Changing gears, Adam shares what’s new in our favorite calendar program — BusyCal 2 — and unveils our latest free book: “Take Control of Calendar Syncing and Sharing with BusyCal.” Then Matt Neuburg tracks down everything that’s known about how iOS 6 mysteriously consumes massive quantities of expensive cellular data for some users. Finally, don’t miss ExtraBITS, since we point to three of our own articles that we simply couldn’t fit into this issue, along with breaking news (shortly before we published) of an Apple management shakeup that sees senior vice presidents Scott Forstall and John Browett leaving the company. Notable software releases this week include FileMaker Pro 12.0.3, Skype 6.0.60.2946, and DEVONthink and DEVONnote 2.4.3.

While we gird ourselves for Tuesday’s Apple announcement (An iPad mini? A ultra-compact iCar? A floor wax?), we have a spate of great articles for you. Adam Engst reports on the MacTech Conference 2012 (including a behind-the-scenes trip to Disney Animation Studios), Tonya Engst looks in depth at the new features of AirPlay in Mountain Lion, Jeff Carlson rounds up all the new photo-related features in iOS 6, and Michael Cohen gets geeky with an explanation of how Apple Mail in Mac OS X and iOS notify you of new email messages in completely different ways. Be sure to check the TidBITS Web site tomorrow for our coverage of Apple’s announcement!

After announcing both the new TidBITS Events public calendar and the release of Sharon Zardetto’s “Take Control of Safari 6” ebook, we have a pair of big-picture pieces for you this week. Jeff Porten returns with a thoughtful article about a talk given by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson on what makes a technology cool (and what the age of cool artifacts says about that technology). Then Adam Engst explains how to think like a publisher — and why everyone who creates information for others, regardless of the specific situation, needs to pay attention to these lessons from the world of publishing. Notable software releases this week include TweetDeck 2.0, Firefox 16.0.1, and Voila 3.3.

It’s an opinionated issue this week, with Glenn Fleishman critiquing a particularly troubling New York Times article about Apple’s new Maps app before passing on the news that App.net has reduced its fees. Then Steve McCabe dons his pilot hat to examine the outdated FAA regulations surrounding use of portable electronic devices on commercial flights, and Matt Neuburg looks at new developer-level features in iOS 6 that will soon be reflected in what iOS apps can do for us. Notable software releases this week include Things 2.1, Sandvox 2.6.7, Hazel 3.0.13, Airfoil 4.7.4, Adobe Lightroom 4.2, OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.2 Supplemental Update, Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5 Supplemental Update, and iPhoto 9.4.1.

iOS 6 comes under scrutiny this week, after it is implicated in excessive battery drain and mysterious cellular data usage. Adam Engst traces his battery problems to corrupt Safari bookmarks, and Glenn Fleishman offers pointers to a number of people trying to understand why their iPhones are suddenly consuming significant amounts of cellular data. Adam also shares the latest news about what’s happening at the upcoming MacTech Conference 2012, and he examines the hullabaloo surrounding the massive criticism of Apple’s new Maps app in iOS 6, which prompted an apology from Apple CEO Tim Cook last week. Glenn also covers how Facebook Groups now allow Dropbox-based file sharing, and Kirk McElhearn looks in depth at the new Notifications feature in OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. Last, but not least, don’t miss our 50-percent-off Take Control sale, specially extended through 3 October 2012 for TidBITS readers! Notable software releases this week include Server Admin Tools 10.7.5, OS X Server 2.1.1, Mellel 3.0.2, Aperture 3.4.1, and Airfoil 4.7.3.

Apple last week showed off the iPhone 5 and iOS 6, with both slated to appear in the real world this week. In specific, iOS 6 will ship on 19 September 2012, with the iPhone 5 coming on 21 September 2012. We have all the details, along with how to work around Apple’s PO box-related ordering problems, a look at the new iPods that are due in October, Adam Engst’s fix for a wonky Mac App Store update error, and Glenn Fleishman’s explanation of how world travelers can pick the right iPhone 5 model. Jeff Porten wraps up the issue with a report from a security conference where cyber attacks are labeled “the biggest threat we face.” How should we react to such news? Notable software releases this week include DEVONthink and DEVONnote 2.4.2, PopChar X 6.0.1, and iTunes 10.7.

This week’s issue is brought to you by the letter A, with articles talking about Amazon, Android, Apple, AT&T, and App.net. But in an episode of “Which One of These Is Not Like the Others,” Michael Cohen leads off with a look at TextExpander 4’s new fill-in snippets. Agen Schmitz follows with all the details about Amazon’s new Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Paperwhite, and enhanced Kindle lineup. That encourages Glenn Fleishman to ponder whether a statement made by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos during the intro was targeted at Apple or Android. Not content to rest there, Glenn also does the math on AT&T’s new Mobile Share plans and looks in depth at App.net, a new social network that has more interesting goals than other such systems. Notable software releases over the past two weeks include ChronoSync 4.3.5 and ChronoAgent 1.3.6, VMware Fusion and Fusion Professional 5.0.1, SpamSieve 2.9.4, Dragon Dictate 3.0, iMovie ’11 9.0.8, Java for OS X 2012-005 and Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 10, Adobe Illustrator CS6 16.0.1, Adobe Photoshop CS6 13.0.1, Toast Titanium 11.1, Parallels Desktop 8.0, Hazel 3.0.12, Fantastical 1.3.3, and Firefox 15.0.

Last week was taken up in part creating video for you to watch, including an informal staff meeting in which Glenn explained App.net and a full TidBITS Presents panel discussion on “Protecting Your Digital Life” with Rich Mogull and Joe Kissell. In other news, Apple shipped OS X 10.8.1 Mountain Lion with a small number of bug fixes, the MacTech Conference 2012 is scheduled for October 17–19, and an update to the Boingo Wi-Finder app can track your wireless data usage to help prevent unnecessary charges. Our feature article this week comes from Steve McCabe, who forced himself to listen to lots of his favorite music while evaluating the online music streaming services Spotify, Pandora, and Last.fm. Notable software releases this week include Transmit 4.2, CloudPull 2.1.3, and VMware Fusion 5 and Fusion 5 Professional. Note that we’re taking next week’s email issue off for Labor Day — look for our next issue on 10 September 2012.

After three weeks of non-stop Mountain Lion content, we’re shifting back to more normal coverage, starting with the announcement of the live TidBITS Presents “Protecting Your Digital Life” event on 22 August 2012. But you don’t have to wait until then to read Adam Engst’s look at how new features in the latest iteration of TweetDeck radically improve the program, or his explanation of how to update Dropbox manually if its automatic update doesn’t work for you. Plus, Michael Cohen shares the story of how an aging cable modem caused his Internet performance to degrade slowly, and he also explains how to set default fonts in Safari 6, which has removed those options from its interface. Notable software releases this week include OmniFocus 1.10.3, ClamXav 2.3.2, and DEVONagent Lite, Express, and Pro 3.3.

As we head into the third week of Mountain Lion’s reign, we look in more depth at aspects of Apple’s latest big cat that are causing confusion. Glenn Fleishman and Jeff Carlson lead off with a look at the Caller ID feature of Messages (in Mountain Lion and iOS), which controls the account to which replies will be directed. Then, very much on the same path, Joe Kissell tries to run down exactly what account Apple Mail will use when creating or replying to messages. Lastly, Matt Neuburg sets his laser sights on the Modern Document Model in Mountain Lion, explaining how it’s different from — and better than — its equivalent in Lion. Notable software releases this week include Nisus Writer Pro 2.0.4 and Express 3.4.3, DEVONthink and DEVONnote 2.4, and TextExpander 4.0.1.

Don’t say we haven’t been warning you! This issue focuses on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, released last week. We have three new Take Control ebooks about upgrading to Mountain Lion, using Mountain Lion, and Apple Mail in Mountain Lion to help you get started, but if you want to read something a little shorter to whet your appetite, Jeff Carlson offers a long list of interesting details about Mountain Lion, Sharon Zardetto contributes a review of the new Safari 6, Adam Engst looks briefly at the OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date Program for those who purchased Macs recently, and Glenn Fleishman is particularly pleased to share the news that Software Base Station in Mountain Lion finally offers decent security. On the only unrelated note, Michael Cohen runs down Apple’s Q3 2102 financial report. Lastly, Agen Schmitz does yeoman service in covering Apple’s Mountain Lion update to the iWork suite, along with a slew of notable software updates, most of which also relate to Mountain Lion. They include Fantastical 1.3.2, Firefox 14.0.1, Nisus Writer Pro 2.0.3 and Express 3.4.2, SuperDuper 2.7, Yojimbo 3.0.4, LaunchBar 5.3, Scrivener 2.3.1, MacBook Air SMC Updates 1.5 and 1.6, BusyCal 1.6.4, Aperture 3.3.2, iPhoto ’11 9.3.2, and iMovie ’11 9.0.7.

With July fast coming to a close without Mountain Lion having shipped, we continue our push to publish practical articles that aren’t specific to any particular version of Mac OS X. Jeff Carlson shares the story about how he replaced the optical drive in his MacBook Pro with a speedy SSD, leaving the 500 GB hard drive in place for large files. And Glenn Fleishman examines the problem of dealing with low-bandwidth situations while traveling or being tethered to an expensive mobile broadband connection. Also this week, Google buys the Sparrow email client, and Michael Cohen points to some nagging problems with iCloud as indication that Apple needs to improve the reliability of the cloud-based service. Notable software releases this week include Quicksilver β69, GraphicConverter 8.2, Carbon Copy Cloner 3.5, ChronoSync 4.3.4 and ChronoAgent 1.3.4, SpamSieve 2.9.3, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Update 1.0, Alfred 1.3, CloudPull 2.1.2, Mellel 3.0, and SOHO Organizer 9.2.8.

While we all wait for Apple to release Mountain Lion, we have a slew of practical articles for you this week. Adam Engst explains how you can control your Apple TV with the same remote you use for your TV, and how to make sure you’re getting the bandwidth from your ISP that you’re paying for. Also, Agen Schmitz delves into the dark world of MPAA ratings and iTunes metadata to figure out how to apply them to videos he would prefer his five-year-old didn’t run across on the iPad. Plus, Adam covers the story about how Dropbox’s Public folder will be going away (but can be re-enabled) for new accounts, and we’re looking to find out which day of the week would be best for our upcoming TidBITS Presents: “Upgrading to and Using Mountain Lion.” Notable software releases this week include Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 14.2.3, iPhoto ’11 9.3.1, and Audio Hijack Pro 2.10.4.

We were heads-down last week, working to release Joe Kissell’s “Take Control of Upgrading to Mountain Lion” and the pre-order version of Matt Neuburg’s “Take Control of Using Mountain Lion,” so those announcements feature prominently in this issue. Also this week, Glenn Fleishman proposes a simple tweak to the iOS Camera app that could put QR Codes into the mainstream, and Adam Engst looks in depth at the fascinating collaboration tool Trello, which has become a core part of how we run TidBITS and Take Control. Notable software releases this week include Keyboard Maestro 5.3.1, SpamSieve 2.9.2, Hazel 3.0.9, and ClamXav 2.3.1.

The big news this week, which indicates it’s a bit of a slow time, was Apple’s release of the new Podcasts app, which lets you subscribe to and listen to podcasts on iOS devices. Podcaster Andy Affleck takes a look. Also this week, Bob Mansfield retires from Apple, we cover the closings of ZangZing and QOOP, the Dropbox-driven Calepin blogging platform goes open source, and Steve McCabe contributes a story of how he got the runaround from Apple both on an international iPhone replacement and on getting technical details about why the replacement wasn’t possible. Notable software releases this week include Aperture 3.3.1, CloudPull 2.1.1, and KeyCue 6.2.

It’s a potpourri of topics this week, anchored by Security Editor Rich Mogull’s extensive Q&A about sandboxing, the Mac App Store, and Gatekeeper. Also timely are Adam Engst’s explanation of how to sync iCloud contacts on pre-Lion Macs using SOHO Organizer, his followup on Apple’s fix to the damaging Thunderbolt Software Update 1.2, and Agen Schmitz’s roundup of reviews of the MacBook Pro with Retina Display. Tossing timeliness to the winds, Michael Cohen contributes a look back at a 1982 New York Times article summarizing a remarkably prescient NSF-commissioned report on the future of communications and computing. Notable software releases this week include TextExpander 4.0, Skype 5.8.0.865, and Bento 4.1.1.

Most of this week’s issue takes inspiration from one of two places — Apple’s WWDC announcements and the impending demise of MobileMe. For the former, Glenn Fleishman looks in detail at the IPv6 updates to AirPort Utility and at the revised AirPort Express Base Station. Plus, Adam Engst warns about installing the (now-pulled) Thunderbolt Software Update 1.2, which caused boot failures for many users. On the MobileMe side of things, Joe Kissell and Adam Engst gave a live TidBITS Presents: Adieu MobileMe presentation last week that you can now watch for free. Adam also looks at Sandvox 2.6, which extracts content from iWeb-generated Web sites so you can more easily move away from the obsolete iWeb. Rounding out the issue, we have guest articles from Andrew Laurence about how Mac OS X 10.7.4 radically improves WebDAV performance and from Steve McCabe on PDF support in current Web browsers. Notable software releases this week include iMovie ’11 9.0.6, MacBook Pro (Mid 2012) Software Update 1.0, MacBook Air (Mid 2012) Software Update 1.0, MacBook Pro (Retina) Trackpad Update 1.0, Java for OS X Lion 2012-004 and Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 9, Aperture 3.3, iPhoto ’11 9.3, and iTunes 10.6.3.

Kudos to the TidBITS staff for their dedicated work covering (and providing color commentary on) Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote today. We have articles about OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion shipping in July with a few previously unannounced features, the new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models (including the MacBook Pro with Retina Display), the minimal speed bump to the Mac Pro, and Apple’s extensive preview of iOS 6. We’re also pleased to announce “Take Control of Apple Mail in Lion” (with a free upgrade to “Take Control of Apple Mail in Mountain Lion”) and an upcoming live online presentation on what to do when MobileMe is shut off in a few weeks. Also, don’t miss the news about LinkedIn passwords being stolen and the latest shot in the DRM wars. Notable software releases this week include CloudPull 2.1, Script Debugger 5.0, Coda 2.0.1, PDFpen and PDFpenPro 5.8.3, and Firefox 13.0.

We didn’t plan to have two articles with “Zombie” in their titles this week, but that’s just how it worked out, as Matt Neuburg explains how you can prevent unwanted documents being reopened by Lion’s Resume feature, and Glenn Fleishman shares our experience dealing with server-crushing Web traffic generated by compromised computers. Also this week, Glenn looks at the Let’s Sing iOS app, Jeff Carlson reviews the Hammerhead Capo Case for the iPad, and Steve McCabe shares what it’s like to be able to test Facebook’s new “Highlight” feature in New Zealand. We also have two new Take Control ebooks: “Take Control of Your 802.11n AirPort Network, Third Edition” and “Take Control of iBooks Author.” Notable software releases during the last two weeks include QuarkXPress 9.3, OmniFocus 1.10.2, App Tamer 1.3, Fantastical 1.3, Typinator 5.1, Aperture 3.2.4, Coda 2.0, Cobook 1.0, Screenflow 3.0.6, and Keyboard Maestro 5.3.

We’re taking the next email issue off for the Memorial Day holiday, but we have an excellent slate of articles for you this week, including coverage of Apple’s security-related updates for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and the forthcoming demise of Perian, which provides QuickTime Player with support for many more video formats. Feature articles this week include Glenn Fleishman’s explanation of how you can use the free OpenDNS service to help protect your Mac from malware like Flashback, Tonya Engst’s look at how to deal with overly cluttered iOS Home screens, and Steve McCabe’s review of FileMaker Pro 12. Notable software releases this week include GraphicConverter 8.0 and TextWrangler 4.0.1.

Security news continues this week, with Apple releasing Mac OS X 10.7.4, Safari 5.1.7, and Security Update 2012-002, all largely to address security-related issues. Plus, Adobe fixes a security vulnerability in Photoshop, initially requiring a paid upgrade to Photoshop CS6 but later announcing that the fix would also be made available to users of Photoshop CS5.x. Moving to the practical, Joe Kissell explains how you can keep your MobileMe email address without upgrading to iCloud, and Adam Engst looks into what can happen if zooming is turned on accidentally in iOS and Mac OS X. Finally, Andy Affleck joins us with coverage of the genealogical program Reunion 10, and Joe shines a harsh light on Apple’s abundance of alerts. Notable software releases this week include Security Update 2012-002 (Snow Leopard), EasyFind 4.9, BBEdit 10.1.2, CloudPull 2.0.3 and 1.5.7, Microsoft Office 2011 14.2.2 and 2008 12.3.3, PDFpen and PDFpenPro 5.8.1, and Evernote 3.1.